Root of Love
by Iris Mist
Summary: FFVI: After Kefka's defeat. Where will our heroes end up? Terra x Locke, I think. Told from multiple perspecitves throughout. My summary really needs work... My first fanfic, please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: New Beginning

**Author's Note**: This is my first fanfic ever, and this is also the first time I've ever written in first person (excluding homework assignments), so um, please be nice? Also, English is not my first language, though I'm only stating this to make excuses for potential bad spelling and poor grammar. With that said, constructive criticisms are welcome. :)

**Additional Note**: I think I'm going to tell this story from multiple points of view to get a more complete feel. For example, Chapter 1 is going to be told by Terra and Edgar. The time frame and events are the same, but they happen at different places and are told through different perspectives. I think I'm going for 2 views per chapter on average. I'm hoping it'll turn out well.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything FF either. Sad. :(

**Root of Love**

Iris Mist

**Chapter 1: New Beginning**

I held up a hand to my eyes, shielding them from the violent winds while keeping my bangs from obscuring my vision as the airship took off. I smiled and waved good-bye to two of my comrades, Relm and Strago. "Don't forget to write!" I reminded as I called down to them.

"And don't you forget either!" the little girl called back.

"You all take care, and remember, you're always welcome in our town!" replied the old man to the remaining crew on the airship.

It had been almost a week. Almost a week since the decisive battle at Kefka's Tower, though you never would have guessed it by the surroundings. People littered the streets, and kids ran freely in the still-barren fields. They were no longer afraid to come outside, to stand under the sun, to feel the wind against their skin.

_Kids..._

I smiled as I remembered my bunch back home, in Mobliz. Orphans, they were. Orphans because their parents died in an attempt to save them from the destruction that rained upon their town. Orphans because of Kefka. At that thought, the smiled faded from my lips and my hands tightened into fists. I loved them, every single one of them. They were the ones who taught me how to love. They were the ones who gave me my will back to fight. And ultimately, they were the ones who kept me alive after Magic disappeared from this world.

"Let's see, the closest destination from here would be... Mobliz," said Setzer as he pointed from Thamasa to Mobliz on his self-made map. "Well, looks like you'll be next, Terra."

I looked at him and smiled a nod. "Thanks again, Setzer."

"Anytime, darling," he smiled back. "It's getting late today. You should probably go back and get some rest. We should be able to get you home in about another two or three days."

I nodded again.

It sure was convenient, having access to an airship. Normally, a trip like this would have taken over a week. I turned my attention away from our captain and glanced out at the clear blue sky. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, enjoying this feeling of peace, of freedom. I wasn't sure how long I was out there, but suddenly, I heard a loud slam that made me flinch. I turned only to see a tall blonde figure storm across the deck to the other side of the ship.

"Celes, wait!" called the man who followed a few paces behind her. He sighed heavily and stopped his pursuit when he saw me standing there, watching them.

I swallowed nervously, wondering if I should excuse myself. Before I had a chance to decide, he walked toward me, rested his folded arms on the side of the ship, and sighed once more. "Shouldn't... you go after her?" I asked hesitantly, somewhat uncertain of what exactly to say or do in a situation like that.

"Typical, huh?" he asked emptily, ignoring my question, and pulled his bandana out of his hair.

"What... what do you mean?"

"That we had another fight," he answered as he fidgeted with the bandana.

"Fights are normal in a relationship, aren't they?"

"They are when they don't occur as often as this. I just don't understand why she gets so upset so easily, especially over..." He shook his head and managed a chuckle. "Never mind."

"What did you do this time?"

He chuckled again. "You make it sound like it's always my fault."

"I-I'm sorry, Locke," I replied quickly. "That's not what I meant."

"I know, I know," he sighed again and turned his back to the railings, leaning against it for support. "I guess I'm just a little bitter. I'm sorry, Terra. I wasn't trying to start another fight, and I wasn't taking my frustration out on you either."

I nodded and managed a weak smile. "You don't need to apologize. I understand."

"It's just..." he began, but didn't know how to finish. "I wish..." He gestured with his hands, as if explaining something simple to a child, but failing miserably. "I just wish that she could be a little more tolerant," he finished awkwardly with his head hung in disappointment.

I leaned down slightly to look at his face. "So... you did do something?" I asked in a tone that sounded more like a statement than a question.

Locke glanced at me. For a moment, I was afraid that he would scream something incoherent and storm away, but instead, he just laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did."

"Well, would you like to talk about it?" I offered.

"Okay, to make a long story short, I mentioned Rachel at an inopportune time. Does that answer your question?"

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh' about sums it up," he slid down to a sitting position, still fidgeting with his bandana. "It's not like I did it on purpose. It just... slipped out. I don't know."

I lowered myself to my knees next to him. "I thought you had put that behind you," I said unsurely, afraid I might offend my good friend.

"I have," he explained, sounding a little irritated again. "I told her that I wanted to move on, but that doesn't mean I can do it right away." Another sigh escaped his throat. "I wish she would understand that I'm not trying to push her away. I just need time."

"Well, you'll have to give her time, too," I said. "You know, time for her to accept that you're not ready to move on just yet. I'm sure she'll wait for you if you tell her." Even as I said that, I felt my throat tighten. No, I didn't love Locke. I didn't love anyone except the kids back in Mobliz. However, I was quite fond of the self-proclaimed "treasure hunter." With the exception of Arvis, the man back in Narshe who initially freed my consciousness from the Slave Crown, Locke was the first one to come to my aid after I lost my memories. _"I won't leave you until your memory returns!"_ he had told me at that time. Regardless of if he meant it or not, or even if he was lying or not, a gesture like that was enough for me trust him, at least at that time. I had to take that risk, and luckily for me, it was a good gamble.

"See, the problem is, I don't _want_ her to wait for me," he explained patiently. "It's not fair to her, especially since I don't even..." He trailed off and shook his head.

"You don't what?" I asked almost instinctively, then immediately wished that I had kept quiet. It was none of my business. I had no right to ask it and he had no obligation to answer me. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't..."

"It's okay," he cut me off. After a few moments of awkward silence, he spoke up again. "I don't even know how I feel about her exactly. Sure I'd like her to wait for me, but that's the selfish side of me speaking. I can't ask her to do something like that."

"Because you know if you ask, she'd wait for you?" Again, that sounded too much like a statement.

He looked at me and nodded slowly. "Maybe."

There it was, that awkward feeling again. Was I jealous? Jealous that they shared such an understanding? Or was I envious of the fact that I've never felt like that toward anyone? I swallowed hard again.

"It just isn't fair to her," he repeated to no one in particular. "Maybe if I knew I'd be able to love her in the future, maybe then I could ask, but this just isn't right. I mean, what if I ask her to wait, but then I fall in love with someone else? What if..." He glanced at me and scowled. "Terra, are you okay?"

I looked up quickly and smiled. "Of course. I was just... thinking."

"About?"

"About... you," I said as I shifted my position, wrapping my arms around my knees. "I've always thought that the two of you were in love already." I blinked a few times. "And had been, for some time," I added.

"That's silly," he told me. "I'll admit I like her. I like her a lot, but there's still a big step between that and love."

I looked down. _I... guess I wouldn't know..._

"See," he continued, obviously not aware of my expressions, which I was glad for. "I sometimes feel like I wouldn't be as attracted to her if it weren't for Rachel."

I turned toward him. "What do you mean?"

"It was pretty unfair of me, to both her and you."

"Me?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, I flirted a bit with you, too, when we first met."

"You... you did?"

He laughed lightly. "I guess you didn't even notice. See, at the time, I was... still recovering from what had happened to Rachel, and both you and Celes reminded me of her in different ways. I guess a part of me knew that she was gone, and I was desperately trying to find someone to fill the empty space in my heart."

_I reminded him of Rachel?_

"Do you remember the first thing you said to me?"

"I..." I paused to think back, but before I came up with an answer, he went on.

"You asked me if I saved you, and you told me you couldn't remember anything at all."

_"Eh? You back with us now?" he had asked me._

_"You... saved me?"_

_"Save your thanks for the Moogles!"_

_"Uhh... I can't remember anything... past or present..."_

_"You have amnesia?!"_

He was right. That was the first thing I said to him.

"And you know, Rachel had amnesia, too," Locke said sadly. "And I failed to protect her in the end. So in a way, I guess I was trying to free my emotional guilt by protecting you until your memories returned. Silly, isn't it?"

I shook my head. Silly was how I never realized why he wanted to protect me till now. "And... what about Celes?"

"Celes," he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "Celes looks like Rachel. A lot like Rachel. I know it probably sounds shallow, but when you first meet someone, the thing you notice most is their appearance. When I freed her in South Figaro from the Empire guards, she asked me why I was helping her. And I told her it was because she reminded me of someone. That someone was Rachel." He paused for a moment. "I know I must sound like a superficial bastard, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't avoid it. Every time I look at her, I see Rachel. Overtime, that resemblance grew on me and developed into a strange sort of infatuation. At certain times, I somehow even managed to convince myself that she _is _Rachel."

"That's all right, isn't it?" I asked softly without looking at him.

"I thought so, too, until other things began to surface. Terra, Celes isn't Rachel. She may look like her, but their personalities are so different. During times when I did manage to convince myself that Rachel was still alive and in front of me, I'd subconsciously expect her to act the same as well. But that never happened. I'd often get frustrated, or say things that I don't mean, or just become really secluded, and Celes would get upset, and we'd end up fighting. Like now."

Things like that had never occurred to me, and I could only imagine how it must have been like to be in his position.

"And they'd always be little things," he went on. "Little things that do not and should not matter. Like the other day, Celes put sugar in her tea. Rachel never puts sugar in her tea. And that somehow bothered the hell out of me. Then yesterday, I was telling Edgar about one of the treasure caves I found near Albrook, and then Celes came by and asked if I ever got tired of crawling around in dark tunnels. Rachel and I used to go treasure hunting all the time. It was one of our favorite things to do together. You know, just small things like that always jump out at me, reminding me that Rachel is gone." He looked at the bandana in his hand again and tied it back around his forehead. "If I were to truly love Celes, I'd have to love her for who she is, not whom I want her to be. But I can't tell any of that to her. She wouldn't understand, and I don't want to hurt her feelings."

"But I'm okay?" I asked in a soft whisper. I immediately bit my lip, wishing that I had kept quiet or hoping that he didn't hear.

He looked at me, confused. "What do you mean?"

_I'm okay because you're not afraid of hurting my feelings?_ "I mean, I'm glad that you think I would understand," I finished with a smile. _Good save._

He smiled back. "Well, of course. You've become one of my best friends, Terra. I feel like I can tell you anything. And besides, this is just one of those things that you can't really talk to a guy about, you know? I mean, imagine my having this conversation with someone like Gau. Or even worse, someone like Edgar. Or Umaro."

We both laughed at the thought. "You're right," I stood and looked out the ship again. "I'm glad you can trust me, Locke. That means a lot more to me than you can imagine."

"Of course I trust you, Terra." He also got up to his feet and stepped closer to me. "Thanks for listening to me ramble," he said as he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "And I hope you know, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you."

I smiled a nod at him.

"So um, how are you and Edgar doing?"

I blinked and I felt my cheeks grow red. "W-What? What are you talking about? I... We... we're not even..."

"No? Well, whenever I see him, he always has his arm around you with an unnaturally huge grin plastered to his face, so I assumed..."

"Locke!" My cheeks redden even more.

He laughed and gave me a playful nudge.

I bumped my shoulder into him and knocked him back a little. "See if I ever listen to you ramble again."

"Aww, lighten up, Terra," he said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I laughed a little and rested my head against his chest. "Really, so there's nothing between you two?"

"I don't think so," I said thoughtfully. "But then again, it's not like I'd be able to tell even if there is something. He's just a good friend, like you."

"Ah."

_Was that... disappointment I sensed just now?_ I could have sworn I heard a sigh and felt his shoulders slump a little. _No, I must have imagined it._ "However, I do feel different when I'm around him. Just like I feel different when I'm around you, too. And... I can't tell what's what, you know?"

"It's all right. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon," he rubbed my shoulder reassuringly.

I let out a small sigh and tried to take in the moment. I liked standing out there with Locke. It seemed perfect. We were in our own little world. No one else was around to bother us. No one else existed. _Just us._ Unknowingly, a smile crept to my lips, and it stayed there until his voice brought me back to reality.

"So, does that mean you'd be slightly affected if he were to give you a little more breathing space?"

It took me a while to realize that he was talking about Edgar.

"N-Not that it's any of my business, but I was just curious. You don't have to answer me."

I giggled. _What's he getting all nervous about anyway?_ "You mean, would I be jealous if he were to shower his attention on some other girl?"

"Don't worry, Terra, my dear," came a voice from behind. "That'll never happen."

We both turned to see a tall man with blonde hair and sapphire eyes standing a few paces behind us. Locke immediately released his hold on my shoulder, cleared his throat, and straightened his clothes. "Edgar," he began. "I didn't know you were here."

I suppressed a laugh. _No kidding._

"I noticed," he said as he walked over to me and slipped an arm around my waist. "I trust that 'Mr. Treasure Hunter' didn't do anything unspeakable to you?" he asked me as he elbowed Locke jokingly in the ribs.

Locke laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Whatever, Edgar. So that cute waitress at the bar wasn't able to keep your interest for too long?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Edgar replied and gave him a little shove.

Locke shoved him back, which knocked me slightly off balance, too. _Boys_, I thought as I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I should go. Celes probably has had enough time to cool off already," said Locke as he waved good-bye and walked toward the door that Celes disappeared in quite some time ago.

I watched him leave and kept my head averted in that direction until I realized that Edgar was talking to me.

"Terra?"

"Oh, sorry. What was that?"

He smiled simply and asked again. "Are you tired? You should probably go back and get some rest."

I nodded.

"All right, I'll walk you to your room."

We walked back in silence, and my mind kept wandering back to my conversation with Locke. I paused slightly at a thought and glanced up at the king of Figaro. Locke was right, he did have an unnaturally huge grin on his face. I felt my cheeks grow red, but at the same time I wanted to burst out laughing. Thankfully, I was able to save myself the embarrassment and the trouble of explaining. Edgar quickly looked away and cleared his throat. "So Terra, would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow?"

I considered for a moment and nodded. "That would be nice."

We stopped in front of my room and Edgar picked up my hand and planted a small kiss. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow then."

"Good night, Edgar."

"Good night, Terra."

I glanced behind my shoulder as I shut the door. _I hope Edgar is all right. He didn't seem like himself for some reason... _I sighed as I walked over to my bed and jumped onto the large pile of pillows._ They're both my friends, right? _I thought as I closed my eyes. I took in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. _Another two or three days, and then all these confusing feelings would go away. Because then, I'd have nothing to worry about except take care of the kids back home._ Slowly, I drifted into sleep. Little did I know, it was going to be the last restful night that I would have for a very long time...


	2. Chapter 1: Masked Feelings

**Author's Note**: If anyone can tell me how to put two punctuation marks next to each other (say, a ? and a !) without it disappearing on me, I will give you a cookie. If anyone can tell me how to put a few asterisk on a separate line (signifying a break) without it disappearing on me, I will give you a glass of milk to go with that cookie.

**Disclaimer**: See other chapter 1.

**Chapter 1: Masked Feelings**

"And so I told them, 'You guys get in there while I keep this thing busy!'"

The girl listened intently, the smile never fading from her lips. She was genuinely interested in my story, though there were times when I could tell that her curiosity was slightly feigned or her laughter forced. Not that I mind, of course. I love getting attention from women. Especially cute ones. I am Edgar Roni Figaro, after all. I've got that Ladies' Man reputation to keep up.

"You battled that monster by yourself?"

"Of course!" I boasted. "It was a vicious beast, complete with sharp teeth, jagged claws, glowing eyes, and ferocious tentacles. The entire engine room was a mess. The creature was tearing apart the pipes, its claws dug into walls, and its tentacles wrapped around various switches. I drew my sword, and then..."

"Hey!" called a voice as the doors of the mini-bar flew open. Locke peered through the opening and motioned with his hand. "Come on, Romeo, we've docked at Thamasa! Strago and Relm are about to leave!"

I nodded and held up a hand, signaling to him to wait for a moment as I turned back to the brunette waitress. "I guess I shall finish my story when I return, my lady."

She smiled broadly and giggled and I got up toward my friend.

Locke grinned and rolled his eyes. When I was close enough to him, he leaned over and whispered, "Last time I checked, monsters have either claws or tentacles, not both."

I laughed wholeheartedly and gave my friend a slap on the back. "You little bastard, you were eavesdropping."

Locke grinned again. "Well, yeah, I wouldn't miss the chance to witness you making a complete fool out of yourself. Again."

The two of us were the last to arrive at the deck. Strago and Relm each dragged a trunk behind them as they made their way around to everyone to say their farewells. My brother, Sabin, stood off to the side, carrying two more seemingly full cases.

"What's with all the luggage?" I asked.

"I don't know," replied Locke. "Presents?"

"Presents, like... beast hides? Skeletons? Mutated plants?"

"And monsters with both tentacles and claws?"

At that, I gave Locke another hard slap on the back. He just laughed in return. "I swear, Locke, one of these days..."

"Hey, Edgar!" The little girl walked up to me and tugged at my cape. She smiled then opened her arms for a hug. "Don't forget me when you're chasing after all the pretty ladies, okay?"

I smiled and bent down to embrace her. "Of course not," I replied. "I'll wait until you're old enough and take you for my queen."

She laughed. "Whatever, lover boy." She then jumped at Locke and gave him a hug, too. "Be sure to send me some of your treasures, all right? I want shiny ones. The shinier the better. Then I'll send you my paintings of them."

Locke nodded. "Okay, deal."

"Oh, and don't forget to write!" she said as she made her way to Gau.

"Me miss you, Relm, my lady," he said as he leaned forward to kiss her.

"Eww!" she screamed and jumped back and Gau fell face down toward the floor. "What do you think you're doing, kid?" She then turned toward me. "Edgar, look what you've done!"

I laughed. "I'm influential, like a king should be!"

Strago came up to me and Locke and gave us both a hug and a pat on the back. From the corner of my eye, I saw Relm lean toward Gau and let him give her a small peck on the cheek before running off. I chucked slightly. "It's been a wonderful trip with you all, kids," said the old man. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun! Now, I know both of you will be busy with your own lives, but whenever you have time, be sure to drop by and visit our village, all right?"

"Don't worry, Strago, we'll come visit. That's a promise."

This felt like the most difficult part of the whole battle—saying good-bye. Nearly a week had gone by since we've defeated Kefka, and now it was time for all of us to part and go our separate ways. Strago and Relm lived in Thamasa, and Sabin and I had Figaro Castle. Locke would probably return to Kohlingen, and Sezter was a free wanderer of the skies. Other than that, we were about the only fortunate ones with a "home" to return to. I suppose Gau would still live on the Veldt, and Mog and Umaro could return to their caves back in Narshe. Terra did have her children in Mobliz, and Cyan had the remains of Doma Castle, but those places were more or less in complete ruins and would take years or even decades to be fully reconstructed. There was a good chance that Celes would follow Locke to Kohlingen, but who knows where Gogo would end up. And Shadow... no one had seen him since Kefka's Tower crumbled.

I sighed to myself and suddenly noticed that the airship was taking off. I hurried to the side of the ship and leaned over the railings, waving last good-byes to our companions.

"Don't forget to write!" Terra called down to them.

"And don't you forget either!" Relm called back.

"You all take care, and remember, you're always welcome in our town!" reminded Strago.

I watched her continue to wave at them until the village shrunk to a mere spot on the ground. Terra, the half-human half-Esper girl, was perhaps the reason we were able to defeat Kefka in the end. She taught us the truth about Espers, which in turn allowed each of us to learn valuable Magic without the risks of Magiteknology. Ultimately, this knowledge and ability to use Magic was the deciding factor in the battle against Kefka. It was difficult to imagine, that if she remained in the Empire's hands and revealed the secrets of Magic to them and only them, what the world would be like today.

"Let's see, the closest destination from here would be... Mobliz," said Setzer, looking over his self-made map. "Well, looks like you'll be next, Terra."

She looked at him and nodded. "Thanks again, Setzer."

"Anytime, darling," he smiled back at her. "It's getting late today. You should probably go back and get some rest. We should be able to get you home in about another two or three days."

She nodded again.

She truly was a magnificent girl, beautiful inside and out. I thought about approaching her, but then decided to just admire her from afar, as I had always done. She was such a timid girl in the beginning. When I first met her, those emerald eyes reflected nothing but fear and confusion, not knowing what to do, not knowing whom to trust. As was expected, I suppose. She had her consciousness ripped from her by the Empire, and then the Returners, Locke and myself included, pressured her into helping and joining us without even considering her feelings. And for personal reasons, at that. Looking back now, I could kill myself for ever being so inconsiderate. Many things happened, and over time, Terra began to understand more about her past and she finally began to accept herself for who she was. She learned to love, and she learned to hide her fears to become a pillar of strength for the people she cared about. And through all those hardships, she had finally become the woman she was today. She fascinated me to no end, and I attribute part of the reason to her immunity to my charms.

I sighed again. She seemed so at peace and I didn't want to disturb her. With one last glance, I slowly began to walk back toward the mini-bar. I smiled. _The cute waitress is waiting for the end of my story about the twin-headed, jagged-clawed beast with ferocious tentacles. Or did I not mention the twin-headed part? Oh well, I bet she doesn't really remember either._

I walked into the bar and sat down at an empty table. I looked around for the brunette when a different waitress, an attractive blonde, came out from the back and walked toward me. "Good evening, sir, may I take your order?"

I smiled to myself. _Just as well._ "Actually, I was wondering if a cute girl like you would be interested in chatting with me for a bit."

She considered for a moment. "I might get fired," she said thoughtfully. "But," she added with a grin, "I'd risk that to talk to the handsome king of Figaro."

I smiled back in return. _I'm going to leave out the claw part when I tell it this time. Maybe I'll add in wings instead._ However, I only got as far as brief introductions when the doors suddenly flew open. I turned to look and saw Celes walk angrily toward the bar. She yanked back one of the chairs and sat down with a loud harrumph.

"What can I get for you, miss?" asked the bartender.

"Something hard," she replied without much thought.

I chuckled slightly. _Locke must have done something stupid again._ I excused myself from the waitress and walked toward the ex-general of the Empire. Celes didn't as much look at me as I sat down. The bartender came back with her drink and left it in front of her, then went back to finish cleaning off the counters. Celes grabbed the glass and was about to take a drink when I took hold of her arm and held it down. She glared at me and tried to move her arm again.

"Let go, Edgar," she said firmly.

"You think that's going to solve your problems?"

She glared at me again and jerked her arm, the alcohol spilling a little over her hand and mine. Her free arm rose toward me but I intercepted the blow by seizing her wrist.

"Celes, you need to calm yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do!" she screamed heatedly, but suddenly tears began to roll down her rock hard face. She immediately broke loose of my hold and turned away.

I took out a gold coin and flipped it to the bartender. As I got up, I put an arm around Celes's shoulder and helped her out of the chair. "Come on, let's go somewhere else to talk," I said as I led her out of the bar. To my surprise, she didn't resist at all. _Locke must have done something _really_ stupid this time._

We walked toward one of the sides of the airship and entered a lounge-like room. It was fairly small, but it was the only place where we could talk in private. I knew how much Celes hated people seeing her cry. Small circular windows lined each wall, and in the center of the room were two couches placed adjacent to one another with a long table in front of them. A few loose chairs were also scattered about, and a round table stood in one of the corners with four glasses and a pitcher of water.

I led Celes to one of the couches and made her sit down while I went to pour her some water. She was motionless, and the tears had already dried from her face.

"Here," I said as I placed the glass in front of her on the table. "This is probably better for you than anything you were going to put in your system."

She looked up at me, with a bit less of a glare this time. "I don't want your pity, Edgar."

"Don't worry, I'm not giving it to you," I said as I sat down on the other couch. "I just want to help you." She looked at me again, and I added, "And yes, there is a difference."

She harrumphed again and looked away.

"So, what did he do this time?"

"What makes you think it has to do with him?"

"Because you were crying. And that is the only thing you ever let yourself cry over." I paused, half expecting her to reply. "You know that Locke would never do anything to hurt you on purpose, right?" I asked when she remained silent. "I bet it was an accident, a slip of the tongue."

"Slip of the tongue," she repeated bitterly. "He is trying to mold me into someone I'm not! Why can't he accept me the way I am?"

"He just needs time..."

"I know that!" she screamed irritably. She sighed to calm herself and continued in a normal tone. "And I'm trying to give it to him, but sometimes it seems like he refuses to move on, no matter how much time he has." I remained silent, and she went on. "And if that is the case, then I don't understand why he's even with me at all."

I considered for a moment and turned the question back to her. "Well, why are you with _him_, Celes?"

She looked at me with surprise, as if the question caught her off guard. "Because..." She hesitated slightly and stood, walking toward one of the windows to gaze outside. "Because though I am not whom he wants me to be, he is still one of few people who treats me like a person. He still sees me for who I am, not what I am." She paused and lowered her head. "'General Celes Chere,' that's what they called me, and that's what I responded to, but in reality, the name held no meaning to me. Being a general for the Empire, I had to more or less give up my own identity. I became but a mere symbol of power, a property of the Empire. When people say that name, I don't think they're actually talking to me, but to an entity with authority.

"Even after I joined the Returners, the feeling persisted. The only difference is, instead of being treated as an individual with esteem, I was looked upon as a traitor, a cold-blooded murderer. I will never forget the way Cyan looked at me when we met for the first time in Narshe. Pure hatred."

I couldn't say I knew what she was going through, but I could relate. I was a king after all. People saw me as a figure of authority as well, and not too differently than from her case. You have your typical admirers and haters, supporters and rebels. I knew, sadly, that half of the girls that flirt with me wouldn't even cast me a sideways glance if not for my title. All that aside, I guess I was fortunate in that I didn't have to deal with the complications of being accused of treason.

"But Locke," she continued softly, "Locke was different. He knew I was a general for the Empire. He could have left me there to die in South Figaro. But he didn't. He saved me, and he actually treated me like a human being. It was... different. When he said my name, I felt like he was actually talking to _me_." Another pause. "Of course, I was a little hesitant to trust him at first, afraid of being hurt again, afraid of being betrayed again. After all, the one who branded me a traitor was one of very few people I thought actually cared about me."

From where I sat, I could faintly make out "Gestahl" from her lips. "What was that?" I asked when she failed to say more.

"Nothing," she dismissed my question with a wave of a hand.

I probably should have just let that slide, but I persisted, for whatever reasons I could not identify. "Was it the emperor?"

Celes looked over at me, considered for a bit, and turned back to gazing out at the clouds. "Funny, isn't it? That everything you've done your whole life, everything you've given up, can be disregarded just like that," she snapped her fingers. "And then with a blink of an eye, you've went from being a top ranking general to a common traitor." She walked back to the couch and sat down, her eyes focused on the glass of water in front of her. "You know, Kefka and I used to be like the emperor's left and right hand men, if you could call us that." She chuckled. "Well, woman, in my case. We were both ranked above Leo, though I'm sure he could have easily taken us both on in a duel, perhaps even at the same time."

"Then why was Leo...?" I purposely left the question hanging, since I couldn't think of how exactly to phrase it.

"Emperor Gestahl had three reasons, though he never came out straight and said them. First and foremost, I'm sure you remember that the emperor was immensely fascinated with Magic. Leo didn't have Magic. Back then, the Magitek Infusion process was still relatively new. Gestahl wanted to create his elite army of Magitek Knights, but due to the limitations and the dangers involved, he did not want to test it on any of his prized soldiers or high ranking officials. At the same time, he didn't want to waste such a complicated process on a regular solider. And so, I was chosen. I was only a baby at the time, so if anything unfortunate were to happen to me, it wouldn't be much of a loss, but if it succeeded, I would be brought up with proper training. By the time I become of age, my Magic would undoubtedly be as powerful as any Esper's. And as luck would have it, I turned out favorably. Not much later, the emperor decided to make his dream a reality, and of course, Kefka and Leo were first in line to receive the infusion. But they forgot to take into account one thing: I was also a genetically engineered child and had a stronger makeup. When Kefka was given his first injection, his body rejected the serum and reacted violently to it. I wasn't present at the time, but I heard smoke rose from his skin and blood dripped from his eyes and ears. It was said his screams could be heard all throughout Vector. I'm sure many things were exaggerate, but it does give you an idea of what happened then. Though Kefka indeed acquired the ability to cast Magic, his sanity was completely shattered. Because of the... undesirable side effects, Leo was never given the serum, even after intense modifications and extended testing. In the end, Leo was safe from all aspects of the process, though it did come with a price, I suppose.

"The second reason was an issue of obedience. While Kefka and I took our missions without question, Leo would often turn down his assignments when they conflicted with his morals. The only reason Gestahl put up with this behavior is because Leo had a one hundred percent success rate with the missions that he did accept. Well, regardless, Gestahl's wish was to reign supreme, and he wouldn't have his highest ranking official questioning his orders.

"And lastly, the emperor considered Leo to be 'weak' and 'soft.' Kefka was a merciless, bloodthirsty madman, and I took down anyone who stood in my way, but Leo only killed when it was absolutely necessary." She took the glass of water in her hands and took a sip. "Magic, obedience, and ruthlessness, the three things Leo lacked. There were even rumors floating around then that he would soon be replaced." She laughed a little and shook her head. "I might have even believed it, but looking back now, it's absolutely ridiculous. She was too much like him to be considered an adequate replacement. No, she was even worse than he was."

I looked up questioningly. "Who?"

"The fourth general," she answered as she spun the glass in place between her hands. "That was actually Gestahl's original plan. Four generals to rule over the four most powerful nations of the world. I was to remain in Vector and secure the southern continent. Leo was in control of Doma to the east. Kefka was sent to keep watch on Figaro in the central region. And she was to manage the rich town of Jidoor to the west. But due to... complications, she was never appointed, and the plan was never carried out. She was different from us. Different in many ways. She was brave, and she refused to be used as a weapon for the Empire to kill. In that sense, she was perhaps the most... _human_ of us all." Celes chuckled a bit. "How ironic."

I thought about what Celes said, and "she" could only be one person. Before I had a chance to ask, Celes spoke up again.

"We've really gone off track, haven't we?" she laughed a little and sighed. "Anyway, all I wanted to say really was that due to Locke's situation with Rachel and the problems I had with my past, I have a difficult time opening up to him fully. At the same time, I feel that he wouldn't go out of his way to understand me. As a result, it often seems like we're in a deadlock."

"Have you talked to him about any of this?"

"No," she answered absently. "I didn't think he'd understand."

"But you want him to?"

She smiled. "I'm talking in circles, aren't I?"

I smiled back. "Even if that's true, it does help you sort out your thoughts."

"This is very... odd, talking about my feelings," she admitted. "Growing up within the Empire, we were all taught that emotions were weak, and we had to keep everything to ourselves. Doesn't matter if we were feeling sad or scared, we had to put up a strong front, if not for ourselves, then for our troops."

I nodded. "I can understand, but Celes, those battle days are over. You don't have to hide your feelings anymore. Learn to accept them and share them with people you care about. Things might not be as bad as you think they are." She looked at me, seemingly skeptical. "I'll let you have some time to yourself," I said as I got up to leave. When I reached the entrance, I was suddenly stopped by a faint creak and a familiar wave. I looked to the side, but didn't turn toward it. I quickly dismissed the feeling and continued on.

Tracing my steps back toward the bar and up to the deck, I was hoping I'd run into Locke so I can get him to go comfort her. It didn't really hit me until now, but we were a sad group that brought about Kefka's demise. It seemed like all of us had dark pasts, and each one more tragic than the last. Suddenly, our victory didn't seem so sweet anymore. It felt empty and left a bitter taste in my mouth. Before I knew it, I was already on the deck. The sun had set, awhile ago it seemed, and Locke and Terra were standing by the railings. I noticed that Locke had an arm around her shoulders in a slightly more-than-friendly manner. I hesitated about approaching them. I normally would have just left them alone, but this time it wasn't about me. I took a deep breath and walked toward them.

"So, does that mean you'd be slightly affected if he were to give you a little more breathing space?" Locke asked her, obviously not knowing I was right behind them. "N-Not that it's any of my business, but I was just curious. You don't have to answer me."

Terra giggled. "You mean, would I be jealous if he were to shower his attention on some other girl?"

"Don't worry, Terra, my dear, that'll never happen," I said.

They both turned back to look at me. Locke immediately dropped his arm, cleared his throat, and straightened his clothes. "Edgar," he said. "I didn't know you were here."

"I noticed," I said as I walked over to Terra and slipped an arm around her waist. "I trust that 'Mr. Treasure Hunter' didn't do anything unspeakable to you?" I elbowed Locke jokingly in the ribs.

He just laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Whatever, Edgar. So that cute waitress at the bar wasn't able to keep your interest for too long?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I looked in the direction I came from and cocked my head toward it suggestively. I then gave him a little shove in that direction to make it even more obvious.

Locke paused a bit then realized what I meant. He nodded ever so slightly and shoved me back to avoid suspicion from Terra. It knocked both me and her slightly off balance. She just snickered a little.

"Well, I should go," said Locke. "Celes probably has had enough time to cool off already." He waved good-bye and walked toward where I gestured earlier.

"Shouldn't you be going back, too?" I asked Terra, but she was still looking in the direction Locke disappeared in and didn't seem to have heard. "Terra?"

"Oh, sorry," she turned back to me. "What was that?"

I just smiled at her. "Are you tired? You should probably go back and get some rest."

She nodded.

"All right, I'll walk you to your room."

The walk back was mostly in silence. Like I said before, she fascinated me to no end, especially due to her immunity to my charms. I couldn't help but smile every time I thought about it. Suddenly, she looked up, and I quickly looked away, feeling somewhat embarrassed about grinning like an idiot for no reason. Though did I see her blush just then? I cleared my throat.

"So Terra, would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow?"

She considered for a moment and nodded. "That would be nice."

We stopped in front of her room and I picked up her hand and planted a small kiss. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow then."

"Good night, Edgar."

"Good night, Terra."

I did not leave right away after she disappeared into her room. The image of her and Locke standing by the railings suddenly flashed in my mind. I couldn't deny that I felt a pang of jealousy, but she looked so happy. And deep down, I knew that it was ultimately for the best. I sighed heavily. _"Good night, Terra,"_ I whispered, as if to myself, and returned to my chambers.


	3. Chapter 2: Double or Nothing

**Author's Note**: Thanks to all who reviewed! Especially for a first-timer, this really means a lot to me. You guys make my day. :D I've decided to change the chapter titles so that it doesn't give away whose perspective it is. I think it's a little better this way. As for Locke's hair, I haven't even considered that yet, so we'll see what happens when and if it comes up. And Kreskin, don't worry about the Terra-Celes interaction. It'll happen soon enough. :) And thank you very very much for the correction on the previous chapter and the suggestion on the punctuation thingy! Too bad it still didn't work though... :( But for the suggestion, you get your reward. :D

:Gives Kreskin some cookies and a glass of milk:

**Disclaimer**: See first chapter 1.

**Chapter 2: Double or Nothing**

_He heard me. He must have. It was too loud for him to not have noticed. _I breathed softly, trying hard not to move or make another unwanted sound. I knew it was my fault for being here, but it wasn't exactly like I had planned for this to happen.

My entire body ached from being scrunched up in this unnatural position for so long. My arms, which were now full of netting marks from the hammock, were folded under my neck, my body was flat, and my legs were crossed to leave room for Gau, who was sprawled out in an awkward arrangement at the other end, with limbs hanging loosely through the netting holes. Why was I here instead of in the comforts of my bed in my room? Well, to make a long story short, there had been a lot of complaints about my snoring as of late. _A lot _of complaints.

_ But seriously, could they really hear it through the walls? I don't snore _that _loud, do I?_

Anyway, as a result, I was kicked out of my room. And by "kicked out of my room," I mean I decided to give everyone some peace and quiet by sleeping in the guest lounges tonight. In retrospect, that didn't turn out to be such a great idea. I pulled myself onto the hammock to catch a quick snooze, and Gau had decided to follow me and do the same, for whatever reasons unknown to me. The boy was out cold within minutes, but before I could get comfortable, I heard Edgar and Celes walk into the adjacent room. I contemplated leaving and giving them some privacy when I heard Edgar say, "Here, this is probably better for you than anything you were going to put in your system." Needless to say, that didn't sound too healthy, and I didn't want to kill their conversation mood or whatever, so I stayed still. I heard everything they talked about, and I felt quite guilty for it.

_On a side note, if I could hear their conversation this clearly, then the claims about my snoring being as loud and obnoxious as Kefka's laughs were probably not as farfetched as I first believed. But really now, regardless of all that, what a horrible, horrible analogy..._

I finally heard Edgar say that he was going to give her some time alone, and I heard his footsteps moved toward the door, undoubtedly on his way to go find Locke. At that time, I knew a confrontation with Celes was inevitable because I didn't want to overhear another conversation that I wasn't supposed to, which meant I had to leave very soon, before Locke arrived. And leaving would mean making myself known.

However, I was hoping that I'd escape Edgar's attention. I had relaxed slightly when I heard that he was leaving, but just a mere soft sigh like that had disturbed the hammock, and the hinges creaked as a result. I heard him pause suddenly, and I knew that he had noticed. _Now that's two people that I'll have to explain myself to._ I thought for a moment and laughed silently to myself. _No, actually, it's still only one person._

"He _doesn't_ understand," Celes muttered, seemingly to herself.

I chuckled and decided that it was now or never. "You don't think so?" I spoke up.

I heard a loud stomp, most likely her jumping to her feet at my sudden interjection, and then nothing.

"Over here," I called out again after another few seconds of silence.

Her heels clicked lightly toward the wall separating her room and mine. "Who's there?" she asked as she peered through the "window" from the other side. Her eyes widened a little. "Sabin?"

"Sorry if I startled you."

She hesitated a little and shook her head. "It's all right."

I shifted my weight, causing the hammock to rock slightly from side to side and thus making the supporting hinges creak ominously. She winced at the sound as she glanced up, and I watched her eyes shift from me to Gau and back to me again. A faint smile of amusement showed on her lips, but it quickly melted into a frown and her brows wrinkled disapprovingly.

"How long have you been here?" she asked firmly.

I paused to think about how to answer as I adjusted my position again. The ominous creaking sounded once more. "Since you two went in," I admitted reluctantly. "But to my defense, I was here first."

She paused and blinked a few times. "Excuse me?" she asked, almost in disbelief at my childish comment.

"N-Never mind," I rubbed my forehead. "That came out wrong." I grabbed onto a metal bar hanging from the ceiling and pulled myself up and out of the hammock, trying hard not to disturb Gau too much. "What I meant to say was, I wasn't there to spy on you two," I said as I walked out of my room and into hers.

She was about to say something, but then stopped when she noticed little netting marks imprinted on my arms and hands.

I smiled sheepishly and flipped my arms over to show her the full marks. "Believe me, holding that position wasn't easy."

"No one asked you to hold any position."

"I know," I said, leaning against the wall. "But it seemed important, and I didn't want to interrupt anything. You know, like kill the atmosphere or something. You heard how loud those hinges were."

She sighed and looked away.

"I'm sorry, Celes," I said as I scratched the back of my head. "Anyway, just thought I'd come over to apologize and explain myself."

She glanced at me and turned away once more.

I wasn't too used to the silent treatment, but I figured that I'd at least finish everything I wanted to say. "And the thing with Edgar, I heard you say that you don't think he understands, but..."

She cut me off with a stifled laugh and looked up with a skeptical grin. "You don't have to plead your brother's case. I know that you probab—"

"I'm not pleading his case, Celes," I interrupted, "I just wanted you to know that you have people you can trust. I know you had to be strong for your troops in the elite Imperial army, but Edgar had to be strong for a king and queen-less country on the verge of collapse."

She didn't reply, and I didn't bother to look up at her reaction.

"Both our parents were killed by the Empire, poisoned, and neither Edgar nor I wanted the throne. The kingdom was a mess; people didn't care about the deaths of their monarchs, but they were all interested in who the next successor should be and what benefits we would receive if we allied with the Empire." I took a deep breath. Just thinking about this still made my blood boil. I sighed and calmed my voice. "Edgar and I talked about abandoning Figaro for our freedoms many times, but when it came down to it, he was never able to bring himself to do that. Too much blood and sweat had been shed for Figaro, he said, and he couldn't bear to watch it crumble. In the end, he sacrificed his own freedom, his own life, for the sake of this war-sick realm and its ungrateful people. To this day, it's still a mystery to me how he managed to pull through with this one, but he did it. He brought everyone together. Things returned to the way they were back in the peaceful days. And now, well, you've seen the results." I finally looked over at Celes. She was standing still, her eyes fixed on the floor. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, and I hoped that I hadn't offended her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so..." I rubbed the back of my neck again and decided to stop before I made things worse. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you can trust my brother, that's all." Then I quickly added, "But don't tell him I said that." I didn't know why I always felt a need to tag on that last part. It seemed almost reflexive now. "I'll... see you around, Celes." I sighed heavily and turned to leave.

"Sabin," she called out softly and I looked back at her. "...Tell Edgar I said thanks."

A smiled slowly spread across my face and I nodded, then exited the room.

_Well, so much for giving everyone some peace and quiet._ I stretched as I began walking toward the bedroom chambers on the other side of the airship. _I just hope that Setzer won't carry through with his threat of throwing me off the ship._

Light footsteps sounded from the narrow corridor, and Locke emerged from the walkway. We stared at each other for a moment, as if both surprised by the other's presence. He nodded at me and I smiled weakly back at him. He then hurriedly walked past me toward the guest lounges. My eyes followed him for a bit. _Edgar's doing, no doubt._ I turned back around and walked through the bar and then headed up the stairs to the deck.

* * *

The sun had set, the moon was out, but the stars had yet to arrive. I took a deep breath and decided to wait for a bit. I had never considered myself much of a stargazer, but even back when I was training with Duncan, I remember lying on the roof of my little hut, doing the same thing—waiting for the stars. 

A few points of light were finally beginning to emerge.

Perhaps they helped me find my inner peace. Perhaps they reminded me of all the good things in life. Edgar and I used to stand on the highest tower of Figaro Castle to watch the night sky, back in the day...

_Maybe that's why I love the stars so much._

I blinked a few times and looked down from the celestial bodies. A tall figure on the opposite end of the ship suddenly caught my eye. He was leaning toward the railings, also gazing up at the heavens. He looked at me as I walked toward him and we smiled at each other. I rested my arms on the railings next to him, and he turned back to the firmament above.

"You heard our conversation." It wasn't a question.

I smiled faintly, not surprised at his acknowledgement. "I didn't mean to overhear."

He looked at me and smiled in reply.

Without another word, we both returned our attention to the sky again. He was bothered by something, I could tell, but I couldn't identify what. I suppose I could have asked him, and he probably would have told me, but I felt like I should respect his privacy. Much time passed, but neither of us noticed.

"What are you doing out here at this hour?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Same as you, I suppose. I see you out here every night, watching the stars."

I nodded without turning. "Why didn't you ever join me?"

He paused. "Have you decided where you're going to go after all of this?" he asked, ignoring my question.

I sighed and lowered my head. "You want me to return to Figaro... But I can't."

"Why not? It's your home."

"It _was_ my home, before I abandoned it, before I abandoned you. I don't deserve to live there."

"That's nonsense. We decided to choose our paths with no regrets, remember?"

"But Edgar, that's..."

"Besides, I could really use some help getting the guards into shape," he said smiling.

I tried to smile back, but I couldn't do it. "I'm sorry," I wanted to say, but for some reason, those words just wouldn't leave my mouth. He looked at me when I remained silent.

"Don't worry about it, Sabin." He put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "You do what you want, but make sure you give me a heads up, okay?"

I nodded hesitantly. "Brother, I've been meaning to ask you about something."

Edgar smiled and laughed silently, as if he had been expecting it. He reached into his pocket, searched around, and revealed a gold coin. "This, right?"

"Where did you get it?"

He flipped it a few times between his fingers and then handed it to me. "From Haepheston, our blacksmith," he answered slowly. "After mom died."

I grimaced. The coin suddenly seemed to weigh a lot more than just a few ounces. I looked down to examine it—Edgar's profile was imprinted on one side, and mine was on the other.

"I remember this one time, mom and dad were arguing about how Figaro should handle the offered alliance with the Empire. She said that if we refused, then the Empire would kill us, but if we joined, then we would kill ourselves. It was a lose-lose situation." A cold breeze blew by and he closed his eyes with a sigh. "She chose the more dignified option of the two and publicly rejected the alliance. And the Empire killed her."

My fist closed tightly around the coin until my palm hurt.

"How old were we back then? Nine? Well, anyway, dad tried to remain neutral after that to protect us and our people. He said that this could buy us time, and perhaps, it could increase our chance of survival. Unfortunately, neutrality wasn't good enough for the Empire. Though they kept us alive, they made our lives a living hell. I cursed fate for being so cruel to us. I hated how we always got the short end of the stick. I went to Haepheston one day and asked him to forge me a coin where both sides were heads, so that no matter what happens, I'll always win." He laughed a little. "Silly, isn't it? At first, I never even considered that on the flip side, if tails were called, I'd always lose. It was more of a double-edged sword."

"Brother..."

"I carried the coin with me everywhere, even after I realized that it could guarantee a loss, because it reminded me that if I took charge of a situation, regardless of how bad it was, I could always emerge a winner."

I didn't know what to say. I stared at the coin in my hand and sighed. "Is that how you managed to rebuild Figaro?"

He chuckled. "I'm sure it helped, but I attribute most of the credit to Lady Luck, who was with me all the way through that one."

"Edgar, I... I'm..." _I'm sorry._ But it just wouldn't come out. My eyes burned and I shook my head in frustration. "It's just... If I had stayed..."

"If you had stayed," Edgar cut in, sounding very serious, "then you would have been miserable. And that would have made me miserable as well. Besides," he turned toward me with a grin, "even if we used a normal coin, the outcome would have been the same. My side landed up."

I grinned back. He was right; the side with my brother's profile did land up that night. I remembered being curious about the coin and wondered why it had his face on it, but I never questioned it, and it most certainly had never even occurred to me that it would be a double headed coin. "Oh, so you're heads and I'm tails?"

"Well, of course! I'm your older brother!"

"Who made up a ridiculous rule like that?" I rolled my eyes.

"Hey now, my coin, my rule," he grinned broadly. "If you're not content, then go make your own where both sides are tails."

We both threw our heads back and laughed toward the sky.

I hadn't realized until now, but countless stars covered the blackness above. It was beautiful. Mesmerizing. These were the nights that I remembered from my childhood. Ever since then, I'd always look up at these myriad diamonds in the sky for comfort, because I knew that somewhere else in the world, Edgar was looking at them, too.

I sighed. Maybe I should return to Figaro. I missed my brother's company, and I had to make it up to him somehow for being absent for so long.

"Well, it is getting quite late. I think I'm going to retire to bed," Edgar said as he pushed himself away from the railings and straightened his cape. "Try to keep the snoring down a little tonight, eh?" he winked at me jokingly.

I laughed and scratched my head. "I'll do my best."

He patted me on the back. "Good boy."

"Hey!" I gave him a shove, which almost knocked him off his feet. I always did forget my size and strength when came to joking around with people. "I'm not a little boy anymore!" I put my hands on my hips and flashed a big grin.

Edgar rolled his eyes. "If you say so, little bro."

I laughed and handed the coin back to him.

He shook his head. "Keep it."

"But brother..."

"Take good care of it. If and when you decide to come back to Figaro, that'll be your pass to get in, so make sure you hold on to it."

I hesitated, but then nodded slowly.

"Good." He smiled approvingly. "All right, I'm heading out. In. Whatever." He shook his head. "Well, good night, Sabin."

"Night."

He turned and began walking away, cape billowing behind him.

"Wait, Edgar," I called when I remembered something.

He looked back.

"Celes says thanks."

He smiled in reply and then turned to leave again.

I stayed still for a few moments and thought about what I wanted to do. _Maybe I _could_ return to Figaro... I'll have to think it through carefully._ I stretched my arms and yawned out loud. There was no hurry though. We still had quite a few more days before we were to be dropped off. _In the mean time, I really should go get some rest as well._ With one last glance up at the sparkling white flames in the sky, I left the deck for some well deserved rest and relaxation in my room.


	4. Chapter 3: The Fourth General

**Author's Note**: Hi, everyone! Yes, I'm still alive, and no, I haven't given up on this story yet. (And I hope you haven't either. :p) They're releasing FFVI on GBA. Yay! What a time to pick up what I started over a year ago… I originally planned to have another Chapter 2 from either Locke or Celes's point of view, but that failed horribly and I wasn't even enjoying writing it. :/ So, I'm skipping directly to Chapter 3. I'll have sections from those two's pov soon, so rest assured. ;)

**Disclaimer**: See first chapter 1.

**Chapter 3: The Fourth General**

"This will be your final test. Are you ready?"

_Where am I?_

"Yes, Your Majesty."

_It's so dark… I can't see anything…_

"Follow me."

I was surrounded by darkness. I could not see anything or anyone, not even myself. Footsteps picked up around me, and from the sound of it, they belonged to Imperial Soldiers and Magitek Armors. How did I know? I couldn't quite explain it. It was as if those sounds had been previously imprinted into my mind. I felt myself pick up my own feet, putting one down in front of another, joining in the march. I tried to stop, but my body seemed to be moving on its own accord. I tried to speak, but no words would come.

"Are you scared?" asked a familiar voice in a whisper.

I felt my head turn toward her. "A little," I admitted softly. "I don't even know what they're going to make me do. Probably something Magic related again, so it can't be too bad."

There was no response for a few minutes. "You've heard what they're saying, right?" she asked with much hesitation.

"No, what?" I asked. Again, there was no immediate response. We all continued marching forward. Occasionally, light whispers floated to my ears, and whenever I turned toward where they came from, silence would ensue.

"They say you're going to replace Leo if you succeed," she answered after a while. "I mean, you already have one up on him, because of your Magic."

I laughed at that, but kept my words to a whisper. "That's ridiculous! I'm a Major. They can't promote me to General status just like that. Besides, how can anyone replace Leo? His Majesty would have to be crazy to…" My voice trailed off when I began to comprehend what that could mean. "Wait, what are they having me do?"

She did not respond once more.

"Hey," I grabbed her arm. "Celes, what ar—"

"Just don't back out, okay?" she said warningly.

My steps halted to a stop and I felt my stomach turn over. _Don't back out? Replace Leo? What are they going to make me do? _Just then, another voice in front of me spoke up.

"We're here."

I lifted my head. I was still surrounded by darkness, but voices rang out loud and clear from the village beyond. Laughter filled the air, and a busy and boisterous marketplace sounded as if it were full of people. A few flashes of red flickered before me and the darkness scattered. I was standing atop an incline, looking over a peaceful little town. Kids ran up and down the streets, laughing and playing in flowerbed, and their parents chattered amongst one another and busied themselves with their everyday errands. A faint smile appeared on my face at this sight.

"This is your final test, Terra," said Emperor Gestahl as he put a hand on my shoulder. I looked back and realized that a whole army was behind us. "This is Maranda, a village south of our capital." He led me a few steps forward. "For a while now, we've had suspicions of their loyalty to the Empire, and just recently, we've acquired evidence that they are, in fact, secretly in league with a rebellion group called the Returners."

I felt my heart skip a beat. I could sense where this was going. I knew what he wanted, but I was in denial. "You want me to occupy this town, Your Majesty?" I asked firmly, as if trying to convince myself that it would be this simple.

"No, my dear, I want you to burn it to the ground."

Another flicker of red appeared in my mind, and suddenly the village was in flames. I gasped and took a step back involuntarily. The image faded just as quickly as it appeared.

"Silly child, did you think I would have taken the time to come all the way out here if all I wanted you to do was capture a town?"

He was smiling. I could feel it. Though my head was turned the other way, I senses the evil grin on the emperor's face. I turned back to the army of soldiers and Magitek armors. "Then… why are…"

"Spectators, my dear. They're here to witness the full extent of your powers. I hear you've kept your Magic to a minimum, even when training your own men. They'll be in for a treat."

I didn't know what to do. My legs felt like rubber and my heart was pounding so hard that I was afraid it might jump out of my chest. "…Let me evacuate the villagers. I'll be quick."

A cold hand grabbed my arm. "You will not."

"But Your Majesty!"

"These people knew what they were doing. It is only right that they accept the consequences of their actions."

I stood still, mouth dry, stomach in knots. He was asking me to kill, and he had brought along an entire army, my troops among them, to witness this. I looked down at my hands, thoughts racing. _Burn down a whole village? I can't do that…_

_Just don't back out, okay?_

That was Celes's voice. _Does she know something I don't? What are they going to do to me if I refuse?_

"Let their fates serve as a warning to other cities whose loyalties are wavering. With these traitors and rebels gone, Terra, I'll rule supreme, and you'll be by my side to witness it all. We'll go down in history."

I stared at him; my mind in a complete state of chaos. _The emperor commands it. He raised me, he took care of me. I must obey him._ Whispers grew again, adding to my confusion and clouding my thoughts. I raised my arm hesitantly and a warm tingling sensation began to spread from my palm. The temperature rose around me, around everyone. I didn't turn to look, but the smile on the emperor's face had widened still. A fireball appeared in my hand, burning fiercely on nothing. Loud murmurs floated through the air; they were backing away slowly now, staring and pointing at me in awe. I added another surge of energy and the flames flared up all around me, consuming me into its blazes, but not affecting me in any way. I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept slipping.

_You've heard what they're saying, right?_

_No, what?_

_They say you're going to replace Leo if you succeed._

My arm trembled in the air, and the flames diminished. _Replace Leo? Because Leo doesn't have Magic. Because Leo refuses to kill._

The emperor saw my hesitation and leaned down to my ear. "If you do this," he whispered, "you will be promoted to a position higher than all three of my other generals."

_Above Leo… Above Celes… My troops, some of them have families in this village… What am I doing? What the hell am I doing?_ My arm suddenly dropped to my side and the flames around me vanished in a second.

The smile on Emperor Gestahl's face melted into a disapproving frown. "Terra, why are you stopping? These are traitors to the Empire, traitors to me."

I hung my head low. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I can't do this." I could not say more. I didn't know what to say or how to justify myself. These people, they couldn't all be held responsible for the actions of few individuals. It was the right thing to do; I knew that, but I wasn't in a position to decide what was right and wrong. I was a mere Major, and it was my duty to follow the orders of my superiors, of the Emperor himself. And by refusing an order like this, even if it was an order to kill, I felt ashamed.

"This is a direct order, Terra. I will say it one more time. Burn down this village!"

My head remained lowered, and I wouldn't allow myself to blink. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty," I repeated.

"I see." The emperor replied calmly, but I could tell that he was enraged. "I had high hopes for you, Terra, but it looks like you are far from being ready." He flicked his wrist. Before I could comprehend what was going on, two soldiers came up behind me, seizing my arms and bounding my wrists together. "Palazzo!"

I looked up in horror at the mention of that name. A pale faced man dressed in a red and green outfit with a huge red and yellow striped collar stepped forward. We locked eyes for a moment and he grinned sinisterly.

"Yes, Your Highness?" he answered happily, cape billowing as he knelt.

"I'm leaving Miss Branford under your supervision. My plans will soon be realized. I will not tolerate delays. Use whatever means you deem necessary to fix her."

"No, wait!" I protested, but I was already being pulled away.

"As you wish, my liege."

"Please, Your Highness!"

The emperor ignored me and lingered his attention on the village before him. "Chere."

"Your Majesty?"

"Finish it off."

Celes stole a glanced at me as I was being dragged further away. She closed her eyes and lowered her head. "…Yes, Your Majesty." From the distance, I could make out on her lips, "Torch it," to her men.

* * *

My eyes snapped open and I sprung upright in bed. I was shivering and sweating, and it took me a while to realize that I was in the safety of the Falcon. _A dream…_ I sighed and fell back against my sea of pillows. _Just a dream. Nothing to…_

Suddenly, a creak sounded outside my door and I quickly sprung to my feet. "Who's there?!"

There was no answer, but rushed footsteps suggested that whoever was just outside had made a quick run down the corridor to the other lodges. I instinctively reached around my waist for my sword, but then remembered that I had stored it away. _There is no need for weapons anymore_, I reminded myself. _Or so I thought._ I knelt by my trunk and popped it open, searching frantically for something to fend off the intruder with. After digging through piles of clothes and packaged food, I found a silver dagger with strange symbols engraved on the blade and diamonds and emeralds embedded into its hilt. A gift from Locke. He said he had found it in the Ancient Castle and figured that it was probably Esper related, and he thought that I'd like to have it. It wasn't sharpened, and its elegant design suggested that it was most likely crafted for decoration purposes, but now wasn't the time to be picky. I gripped the blade tightly and rushed out my cabin.

The hall was empty, as expected, but I wasn't content. Someone was outside my door; I did not dream that up. My eyes scanned up and down the corridor—nothing but closed doors and a dead end on the other side. An irritated sigh left my throat as I quietly shut my door behind me. _I should have come out here right when I heard the noise._ It wasn't as if I'd be defenseless. I had, after all, received years of training in hand-to-hand combat, among other things, during my Empire days.

I walked quietly down the hall and turned the knob of the cabin adjacent to mine. Naturally, it was unlocked, and that made me worry even more. The intruder could have snuck into any of these rooms and be hiding in the shadows. I hesitated as my grip tightened around the doorknob. I was intruding on my friends' privacies. I reprimanded myself again for not coming out sooner. _But I have to make sure everything is okay._ I took a deep breath and peeked inside.

Setzer's room was illuminated unusually brightly for such a late hour. The numerous mirrors on his walls caught the lights from the moon and stars, scattering their beams in all directions. It was hard to imagine how he could sleep in such a bright setting. Having just woken up myself, my eyes were not quite accustomed to the light, and I had to shield them to get a better view of everything. The whole place was decorated with maps, clocks, and little airship models. I squinted at one of the clocks and read that it was approaching 4 o'clock in the morning. Setzer turned to his side and mumbled something in his sleep. I gasped slightly and took a step back. After another quick scan of the room, I decided that it was safe and left quietly.

In the next room, I found Mog curled up into a ball on the stomach of his huge yeti friend. Umaro lay still on his back, breathing steadily, arms limp at his sides, and I watched the little moogle rise and fall with his every breath. For a creature of his size, I was surprised that Umaro was such a silent sleeper. _Unlike Sabin._ I stifled a laugh. Mog's ears perk up suddenly and I quickly stepped out and shut the door. _Mog would have heard if the intruder went in there._

Edgar and Sabin shared one of the larger rooms across from those two. The former was lying on his stomach with several pillows over his head while the latter snored rhythmically. Judging by Edgar's skewed position and the disarrangement of the half fallen blankets, he had been tossing and turning quite a bit, most likely as a result of Sabin's snoring. Or maybe he was just not used to sleeping on such a small bed. I smiled amusedly and exited the cabin.

I opened another door and saw perhaps one of the most organized rooms I've ever seen in my life. Every piece of furniture lined up perfectly with the walls and each other. Clothes were color coded and folded neatly into piles on his chair and in his trunk. Books were sorted by subject and size and were all stacked trimly on top of each other. Cyan himself was sleeping flat on his back, blankets tucked neatly under him. It had never really crossed my mind, but you can tell a lot about a person from the way he sleeps.

The next room I checked was empty. Before I got a chance to run through all the possible scenarios in my head, I realized that this was Locke's room. My train of thoughts suddenly took a sharp turn and my heartbeat increased. _Is he with Celes? I wonder how their talk turned out. I bet they made up. I bet he's sleeping with her right now._ Without pause, I exited his room and walked down the hall to Celes's cabin. My hand reached for the door when I suddenly stopped. I felt my face flush from shame, because my first thought after seeing Locke's empty room wasn't even related to his safety—it was wondering if he was with Celes.

I hesitated and stepped back. Something stirred inside me, and I suddenly felt sick to the stomach. I wasn't sure what I expected to see, but I decided that I probably wasn't going to like it either way. I turned on my heels and headed straight for the deck. As I walked, my guilty conscience kept reminding me that the intruder was still lurking around somewhere and that by leaving, I was endangering the lives of my friends. I shook my head and convinced myself that if we could take down Kefka, then we can handle something as simple as this.

* * *

The morning air was cold, especially at this altitude, and I wasn't exactly dressed properly for this weather, but it was just what I needed. I looked around; the deck was empty, save for two of Setzer's crewmembers at the end of the ship by the navigation wheel, both of whom seemed to be asleep. Setzer always had the Falcon on autopilot at night, but he also insisted on having backup crew on duty in case of emergencies. 

I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering. Being a Fire based Esper, I had always been a little sensitive to the cold, but it used to be that I could simply flare up a small, invisible aura around myself and keep warm. Now I had to wear multiple layers and heavy jackets like everyone else. I sighed softly. I never thought I'd say this, but I really miss my Magic.

Another cold gust blew by and I lifted my head to look up at the starry sky. Since coming out, my mind had switched gears back to the dream. I didn't get a chance to really reflect on it initially, but now, out here alone in the dark, everything began to replay itself back in my mind. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. It wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. A memory that I had lost to the Slave Crown.

"_Easy! This is a Slave Crown. The others had complete control over you while you were wearing it._"

"_I can't remember a thing…_"

"_Don't worry. It'll all come back to you… in time, that is._"

I took another deep breath. I was plagued with guilt and shame again. Arvis was wrong. They didn't have complete control over me. Being a half breed, my brainwaves were different from those of humans, and my Esper side refused to succumb to the influences of the Slave Crown. As a result, they were never able to control me for more than a few minutes at a time.

I walked up the wooden stairs to the higher deck and looked out over the horizon. There was no hint of sunrise anytime soon. _ That was why they had to use the Esper Crown instead._

"_My name… …is… Terra…_"

"_Impressive! I've never heard of anyone recovering this fast…!_"

Similarly, my human side fought back against the Esper Crown just as my Esper side resisted the Slave Crown. They never successfully designed a Crown to fully control me. Of course I recovered fast.

I shut my eyes and leaned against a pole for support. But after all the "tests" that Kefka made me do each time they modified my Crown… After all the soldiers—_my_ soldiers—that I was forced to kill… And Cid… After all the punishment that he had to endure each time the Crown failed, I finally gave in.

_Because I wasn't strong enough… So many people had to suffer because of me._ My face stung from the next breeze of cold air and a few drops of wetness dripped onto my arm. I didn't even realize that I was crying. My whole body shook, not from the cold, but from all the mix of emotions. I felt so helpless. I wanted to kick and shout and cry. I wanted to scream out until I collapse from exhaustion, but that would wake the others. I didn't want any of them to see me like this.

I pushed away from the pole and took a few steps forward toward the end of the airship. On the day that we defeated Kefka, for a small frame of time, I remembered feeling the same way—trapped, helpless. I looked out over the horizon and inhaled deeply. I closed my eyes and pulled loose my ponytail, feeling the wind through my hair, the same way I did on that day, willing it to set me free again. But the release didn't come.

I couldn't think. I couldn't concentrate. Alas, I dropped to my hands and knees, my whole being shaken up by silent sobs. Kefka was dead, but the damage he inflicted on me, the scars he left with me, will remain with me till the end of my days. Just then, I felt something being draped over my shoulders. I turned sharply, alarmed. "Celes."

She smiled. "Hey."

I quickly looked away and tried to wipe away my tears. "What… what are you doing out here?"

"I couldn't sleep," she said as she sat down beside me.

Shivering, my hands clutched tightly to the cape that she had given me. "Aren't you cold?" I felt silly for asking even before I finished. She had been artificially infused with Magic shards extracted from Shiva even before she could speak. She welcomed the cold like I embraced the heat. We looked at each other and both laughed a little. "Silly me." I hadn't realized until now, but her eyes were a little redder than usual, as if she, too, had been crying. "So um, why couldn't you sleep?"

"Rough day." She paused for a few seconds, staring down at her feet. "Locke and I had another fight. In my anger, I suggest to him that we take a break. And in his frustration, he agreed." She stifled an ironic chuckle. "Now I'm regretting it."

I suddenly felt extremely awkward. "I… I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "I had it coming. I talked to Edgar a bit before Locke came to find me, and I… I don't know. I guess I was so angry that he couldn't understand me on the same level that Edgar could. And then he kept bringing up…" She shook her head again. "I guess I went a little over the edge."

"Edgar went to talk to you?"

"Yeah," she laughed a little. "Of all people, right? I didn't even know he had a serious side."

I smiled back, but it was a little forced. "So are… are you all right?"

She nodded after some hesitation. "It'll take time, but I'll be okay. I felt so confined and I just wanted to talk to someone, you know?"

I smiled in reply and nodded a few times. I felt the exact same way, but it rooted from something completely different. "I know what you mean, but," I lowered my head a bit, "I don't think if I'm the best person to talk to about this stuff."

"Oh, come on, Terra," she said, laughing a little. "I'm as inexperienced as you are." I looked up at her. "We were both raised by the Empire, brought up to believe that feelings are weak. You know, they used to drill into our heads that 'he who is controlled by his emotions…'"

'''…Is a target and a fool,'" I finished automatically, surprising myself a bit.

She stopped momentarily, as if she, too, was amazed at that piece of memory. She then smiled faintly and nodded. "That's right. Neither of us really went through that developmental phases that normal girls go through."

How very interesting. Maybe my "inability" to love had nothing to do with my Esper side after all. Maybe I had greatly underestimated the influences that the Empire had on me. This triggered off something that was previously on my mind. "We knew each other."

She paused and didn't look at me. "…Yes. Yes, we did."

The unspoken question then would be, "Why didn't you tell me?" But I didn't want to ask it, because it didn't seem like she wanted to answer it.

"Your memories are coming back?"

I nodded, but said nothing.

"What did you dream about?" Then she quickly added, "Assuming they came back to you in dream form."

Something clicked in my mind and I suddenly felt a bit relieved. "I did have a dream. It was about Maranda."

"I'm sorry, Terra," she said abruptly.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For…" She looked me in the eye and turned away slowly. "You don't… I mean…"

I looked at her confusedly. "What?"

"How much… of Maranda do you remember?"

"I remember that I wasn't able to burn it down. And that you had to do it for me. I'm sor—"

"Stop it," she said quickly, cutting me short, which took me by surprise. "Don't apologize to me, Terra. I should be the one who's sorry." Her eyes teared up slightly again. "I… I…"

"It's okay," I said as I put my hand over hers. "I don't blame anyone for what happened that day. I made my own decision, and I lived with the consequences of that decision. Looking back now, I can confidently say that I did make the right choice, and I would make the same choice if I could do it all over again."

She stared back at me, as if searching for something in my eyes. Moments later, she softened and relaxed. "I missed you, Terra."

I smiled. "I missed you, too, Celes." Though I barely had any memories of the two of us together, the sense of comfort and familiarity I felt around her had always been present. Just then, I realized that the pent-up feeling was gone; I no longer felt caged. The thought made my smile widen. "You should go back and get some rest."

She nodded. "You, too."

I shook my head. "No, I doubt I'll be able to sleep any more. I've had enough nightmares for one night. I think I'm going to get some breakfast, and try to get off to an early start. You sleep well."

"All right then," she said as she got to her feet. "I'll see you later, Terra."

We bade farewell and I made my way down to the kitchen. The room was pitch dark, still no hint of sunrise. I popped two pieces of bread into the toaster and poured myself a cup of hot tea. As I sat down, my hand instinctively went toward the little jar of sugar.

"_The other day, Celes put sugar in her tea. Rachel never puts sugar in her tea."_

Locke's voice suddenly rose in my head. My arm stopped at mid reach and retracted itself. Why did I do this? I wasn't sure. It felt like it happened without any conscious effort on my part. I stayed still for a few moments, half standing from my chair, thoughts racing through my mind. _Terra, you're being silly,_ I told myself. But it didn't help. I sat back down and stared emptily at my cup of tea.

A ding sounded, signaling to me that my toasts were done, but I couldn't get myself to move or take my eyes off the cup in front of me. I just sat still in the darkness, deep in thought, yet thinking about nothing.

I don't know how long I stayed like that, but the next thing I knew, someone had flipped on the lights and my toasts were being set down in front of me in a plate. I looked up in surprise. "Locke."

(To be continued...)

**End Note**: All authors are suckers for praise, so if you enjoyed this story/chapter, please leave me some words of encouragement. :) And if you hated it, please let me know how I can improve. Thanks for reading!


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